The present invention is directed generally to messaging services, and more specifically, to a system and method for providing a prepaid billing function for instant messaging (IM) users.
Millions of people around the world use data services over wire line networks, wireless networks, or both. One of the most popular types of such data services is messaging services, for example, instant messaging (IM), short message service (SMS), email, or voicemail. Payment for such messaging services may be made by a monthly fee, purchase of a set amount of network resources (e.g., minutes of use) under a contractual arrangement that commits the purchaser to a certain contract time, or another type of contractual arrangement. However, in addition to traditional subscription plans, some phone carriers offer prepaid plans. Under such a plan, users pay only for the minutes they actually use with no contractual commitment. Thus, in a typical prepaid situation, there are no contracts, call plans, or monthly bills. As the user talks or utilizes a particular messaging service, money is deducted from a prepaid account, the balance of which can be adjusted by purchasing additional credits or minutes from the carrier directly or by purchasing prepaid cards having a specified balance.
One operational issue that arises when using prepaid messaging systems and methods is that of notifying a user of a shortage of funds in their prepaid account, and controlling access to such messaging services when a shortage of funds occurs. Some prepaid instant messaging systems use out-of-band communication methods (i.e., a messaging method different from the one being utilized and that has encountered the shortage of funds), such as Short Message Service (SMS) text messages or the Wireless Application Protocol (WAP)-push function, to notify users when their prepaid account balances do not have enough credit to complete a particular messaging transaction. This generally means that the messaging service being utilized (e.g., IM) is discontinued and additional network resources are used to notify the user of the low account balance problem. In addition, when out of band communication methods are used to inform a user of a shortage of funds, the out of band message must be accessible to the user. This requires the ability to utilize the out of band messaging service (i.e., the out of band service is configured for use on the user's device and that messages from the out of band service are accessible to the user during or at the termination of the messaging service that has a shortage of funds).
What is desired is a system and method for notifying users of a prepaid instant messaging service of a shortage of funds in their account and which overcomes the disadvantages of present approaches to the problem.